Page 8 - 2018-2019_Spotlight

SCHOOL ENERGY AND RECYCLING TEAM

2018 Drive for Supplies Nearly Doubles 2017 Weight

AT THE END OF EACH SCHOOL YEAR, students and staff clean out
lockers, desks, closets and classrooms. As they perform this task at many
schools, new and gently used supplies are collected as part of the annual Drive
for Supplies campaign. Notebooks, folders, crayons, glue, and many other items
are carefully weighed and sorted by middle and high school student volunteers.
Then Montgomery County families are invited to an open house-style event
where they can stock up on school supplies at no cost.

In July, the 2018 Drive for Supplies campaign was celebrated at Montgomery
Village Middle School with Dr. Jack R. Smith, MCPS Superintendent of Schools,
and other dignitaries in attendance. Seventy MCPS schools participated in the
event and the supplies collected weighed 8,805 pounds – only 41 pounds shy of
doubling the weight of the supplies collected in 2017. Gaithersburg Elementary School’s
principal, Mrs. Meredith McNerney,
th
The next Drive for Supplies campaign will mark the 20 anniversary of this and GES’s campaign coordinator,
program. Dr. Smith has challenged MCPS students and staff to increase Ms. Ashley Thornton, proudly display
systemwide participation in the 2019 campaign by 25 percent so make plans the ceremony’s program along with
now to be part of this activity.
the award and certificate presented
Participation in this worthy cause not only teaches our students the importance to them by SERT. North Bethesda
of helping those in need, but also reinforces the significance of recycling and Middle and Albert Einstein High
reducing waste. schools were also winners.

Got Paper? WHAT DO YOU THINK
ABOUT ZERO WASTE?

SERT’S 2018 GOT PAPER? RECYCLING CONTEST was, as
Have your say in the future of
always, a great success. Our MCPS schools recycled 673.42 tons
solid waste management in
of paper during the contest period of June 1-30, topping last year’s
Montgomery County and help set
monthly collection by more than 40 tons. To put that tonnage into
the path forward to zero waste.
perspective, the paper and cardboard that we recycled during the one month
would fill the beds of 29.9 tractor trailers. What a convoy!
TAKE A SURVEY OR
SERT appreciates and acknowledges the conservation efforts of all of our ATTEND AN OPEN
participating schools and congratulates the three winning schools for recycling
the highest pounds per person (PPP) and earning SERT recycling awards. For HOUSE EVENT.
this contest, the PPP is calculated by taking the total weight of paper recycled
divided by the number of students and staff. Click below for more details.
Congratulations to the 2018 Got Paper? Winners: Northwood High School
($1,000 award for 8.72 PPP), Redland Middle School ($750 award for 16.61
PPP), and Belmont Elementary School ($500 award for 24.72 PPP)

8 SEPTEMBER 2018